The Memories They Sold
Create a tale set in a futuristic society where memories can be bought and sold. A couple decides to sell their worst memories to afford their dream wedding, but they start to forget what brought them together in the first place.
Suggested length: A short story: 1,500 to 5,000 words, or flash fiction under 1,000
Start the clock
Pick a sprint, press start and keep going until it stops. Momentum beats polish on a first draft.
Make it yours
Three ways to take this prompt somewhere nobody else will.
- Make the obstacle something they both believe in, not a misunderstanding.
- Put them in close quarters they can't escape.
- Tell it from the point of view of the one who falls first.
Writing romance books
Not whether they end up together, but how.
Romance puts a love story at the center and promises a happy ending: happily ever after, or at least happy for now. Readers know where it's going. The pleasure is in the obstacles, the banter and the moment the two leads finally stop fighting it.
What readers expect
- Two leads the reader roots for
- Obstacles that keep them apart
- Emotional growth, not just attraction
- A happy ending, guaranteed
A tip before you start
The happy ending isn't optional. Without it you've written a love story, and romance readers will tell you so.
More Romance prompts
- The Novelist's Living CharacterPen a story about a novelist who falls in love with a character they created, only to meet a real person who is the spitting image of their character…
- The Author and the CriticImagine a scenario in which a best-selling romance writer meets their biggest critic at a book signing, only to discover an undeniable chemistry. As…
- The Lighthouse Love DareCraft a tale set in a small coastal village where an old lighthouse is rumored to bring true love to those who light it together at sunset. Follow a…
- The Last Road TripDevelop a story around two childhood friends who must navigate their budding romantic feelings while embarking on a road trip across the country to…
Fifteen minutes in? Keep going.
Chapterly gives a draft somewhere to grow: chapters, daily word goals, and readers when you're ready.
Plans from $9.99 a month. Cancel any time. Your words are always yours.